APC Political Groups: Tinubu Denies Rift With Aregbesola

Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has debunked reports of a rift between him and the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

Naija News reports that the Lagos APC had dissolved all political groups including The Mandate Group and the Justice Forum.

The decision was announced at the meeting of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos on Tuesday.

This decision is coming as a result of an alleged cold war between Tinubu and Rauf Aregbesola, according to TheCable.

Aregbesola was accused of launching and operating political groups in the state without the knowledge and approval of Tinubu.

The group made up of Tinubu’s core loyalists was relaunched by Aregbesola, who remained as the grand patron.

Abdullahi Enilolobo, the APC organizing secretary in the state, was picked as the new chairman and James Odunmbaku was moved up as the “apex leader”.

These political activities are understood to have pitched Aregbesola against Tinubu as both politicians are said to have an eye on the 2023 presidential contest.

In a statement, Tunde Rahman, Tinubu’s spokesman, dismissed reports of a rift between Tinubu and Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State.

“Today, the Governor’s Advisory Council, the highest decision-making body within the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, passed a resolution calling for the disbandment of all factional groups within the party,” the statement read.

“This was to promote discipline, harmony and cohesion and engender party supremacy. The APC is one united political family in Lagos.

“There is no war, cold or hot, between them. There has never been and there will never be. Asiwaju believes in him and he believes in the APC leader. Our political family remains strong. And we are staying focused on our commitment to building and maintaining a cohesive political party.

“The GAC is a very strong body within the APC leadership structure in Lagos. Its resolution is not targeted at any particular individual or collection of individuals.

“The resolution was to restate the often-stated position that the only group known to us is APC and not any of the factional groups. It was to renew the commitment to APC and its unity.

“Ogbeni Aregbesola is a strong member of the political family. The GAC position does not imply any division within the group.”